Growth of mobile phone and other internet based devices-

Smart mobile devices have become a necessity for an average person; your target customer is constantly on the move and whether they have a mobile device or a tablet they expect to pocess information of all sorts on it! Till a couple of years back; mobiles were being essentially used for voice calls and text conversations only; there was nothing else that was really expected out of a mobile phone. However one development led to another and the current generation of mobiles have become powerhouses of functionality! It is however required to remember that mobile devices are still not capable of processing large volumes of data or performing advanced functions like engineering and animation such a computer. But being able to provide uniform functionality in any browser based application at par with a desk/laptop would certainly contribute in a large way to the popularity of smart phones, would it not?

Responsive sites have become the need of the hour!

With all that you have read above, you may now begin to understand the importance of the adaptability of your website in any mobile or internet based device.

Responsive web design is that approach which aims at providing the same optimal experience of viewing websites as you normally would on a desktop computer without any bit of compromise on the data availability on the website. Via this concept the user will be able to navigate through the website on the chosen medium (mobile or tablet) with reduced attempts of scrolling, panning or resizing the site.

Responsive Webdesign-Mobile Apps Development

This concept is actually a cohesive function of various techniques and ideas. Consider the following features-

  • Websites are built on the traditional layout of rigid pixels /random percentage values. Responsive sites are built on fluid a grid; which means that there is more care in terms of the proportions used, and hence this facilitates the layout adaptability into any specified screen, mobile or a tablet.
  • The second aspect is the CSS3 (cascading style sheets) media queries; which basically allow information on the site visitor to be gathered and thus applying CSS conditionally This is done however depending on the width of the browser so used.
  • Images are actually sized as per the unit thus providing utmost user-friendly experience to the one who visits the site.
  • In this design concept; server and client side components work hand in hand for faster loading sites across all cellular networks thus providing enhanced functionality.

Mobile applications have caught up too- they are out to enhance your mobile experience!

Mobile applications are those internet based applications which can run on your smart mobile phone; which usually has the function of a specific task only. Mobile applications may come preloaded on the device held or may be downloaded by users from app stores or the Internet. A mobile app could serve the purposes of a website bookmark utility, an instant mobile-mobile messaging client, Gmail or Gtalk service and many more such applications.

Mobile application development basically acts as a catalyst that aims at increasing the productivity of your mobile device. In fact mobile technology is one of the biggest advantages open to small growing businesses inching to gain that edge over large enterprises; mobile applications in this context turn out to be trendsetters! Consider some of the following tips to build your business an effective mobile application or a responsive website–

  • The first before your begin be it with respect to anything to do with your website- responsive or having to build that wonder mobile application consider your target audience . All your efforts must be centered on this aspect only.
  • Research extensively and then decide upon having to create a related unique mobile application. In the case of an app already existing, you may want to use it as a template to create your own product, or partner with the creator of that application and work towards mutual benefits.
  • The application has to be easy to understand with some amount of description to accompany graphics wherever necessary. Clear instructions are necessary to be given to the user before the application is being downloaded for use.
  • Excessive use of graphics /animations may provide an attractive outlook to your app; however it comes with a flipside– slower loading times which implies poor user experience. Vector graphics are better to be used as files sizes from these are much smaller, and hence they’ll load faster.
  • Limit the use of buttons and icons since the buttons/icons are too small in size as such, users could make errors with selecting the wrong one. Improper spacing techniques between the buttons/icons can cause trouble as well.
  •  Take out the most important features and build those into a core application experience; you may want to add functionality slowly by building plug-ins that can be purchased as and when needed by the user.
  •  Test the building of your app at every phase along the way. However testing the finished product several times with different kinds of users. Trouble shoot issues and re test the application.

Wake up to the challenges posed by a continuously evolving technology! An effective business website is your foothold in the competitive environment of today!